Some of the biggest drinks manufacturers have committed to putting age restriction indicators on all products they sell on a global basis, in a new coordinated drive against underage drinking.
The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), which includes manufacturers such as Pernod Ricard, AB InBev, Brown-Forman, Heineken, Beam Suntory, Molson Coors, Heineken and others, have said that symbols or written age restrictions will be added to labels to send 'an even clearer message that these products are not for minors'.
Elsewhere, IARD members have committed to taking further action to prevent minors from seeing or interactive without their brands online, as well as inviting online retailers and others involved in e-commerce to work collaboratively on global standards relating to the online sale and delivery of alcohol.
Targeted Actions
The groups have agreed a set of five targeted actions to accelerate reductions in underage drinking, which can be found here.
"These five actions mark another step towards our goal of eliminating underage drinking," commented Albert Baladi, president and CEO of Beam Suntory and IARD CEO chair. "Minors should not drink alcohol, and we proactively support strict enforcement of legal purchase and drinking age regulation.
"Although underage drinking has fallen in many parts of the world, this trend is not universal. We want to accelerate progress and work with others to eliminate underage drinking in every community through a whole-of-society approach."
Baladi called on other producers, retailers and parents to join the fight in ensuring minors do not gain access to alcohol products.
"Together, we must ensure everyone reinforces the message that underage drinking is socially unacceptable," he said.
© 2020 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
